Customer Reviews

Gripmaster Hand Exerciser Red, Medium Tension (7-Pounds per Finger)

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well this has to be about one of the best devices out there to strengthen your individual fingers. While other grip strengthening devices, like the "Captains of Crush" squeezers, will most surely improve one's overall grip, there's always a chance that the stronger fingers are doing most of the work, leaving the weaker ones getting a less than perfect workout. Not so with the Gripmaster.

I've been lifting weights for over 20 years and after trying this, I found several of my fingers weak, that is being unable to participate a lot when I tried to squeeze my Gripmaster. I got the red one, which is medium tension, and while overall its not TOO hard to do, there are a few fingers that just can't keep up! I think what I'll do is just use this one until all my fingers can do the exercise equally, and then move up to the next higher tension model.

Looking for a good way to strengthen the individual fingers? Try it- you'll be surprised how much of a workout some of your fingers will get. Guitar players, people who type a lot, or anyone trying to rehab a hand will greatly benefit. Also suggest Treat Your Own Tennis Elbow for elbow tendonitis.

The `Gripmaster Finger Exerciser' is an excellent piece of equipment that can help a wide range of problems, as well as helping with finger strength in general. This is ergonomically designed so it fits into your hand easily and I have found it doesn't slip or move around, like cheaper copies I have seen. This uses springs for tension and comes in a range of different strengths. I recommend you start off light and build up, I went for the red (medium) grip at first and although it is useable, it was hard work. This comes with a small booklet describing various exercises you can do and after using this for just a few minutes each day you will quickly see results. This is great for accident rehabilitation, climbers, musicians and a whole other range of activities where finger strength is a must. If you like this I also highly recommend a Powerball which is fantastic for wrist and forearm strength and which is addictive to use. All in all, this is a simple but effective piece of exercise equipment.

Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

This my second Gripmaster. A set of Ruff Caps completes this to make a excellent practice tool for when you're away from your guitar for any length of time. The Gripmaster/Ruff Caps helps to build and maintain finger strength and callus'. I also have the heavy tension Gripmaster and alternate between tools. I've purchased the X-Light tensions grips for my son to build on. The other adjustable grips just don't do the job or stand up to heavy usage. It can go into your pocket and go anywhere with you. I use it at home and at work without any trouble.
This is a very good tool for any beginner or seasoned guitar player.
The only reson I didn't give a rating of five stars is you have to purchase the Ruff Caps seperately.

I [used to] love this product. But Gripmaster has reduced the palm pad to something too uncomfortable to be useful. I have a 5lb blue version, which I use often. I decided to get a 7lb medium version. What arrived was the new version, which I didn't expect - images weren't yet updated. As of this writing, Gripmaster's own site still doesn't picture the currently sold version. I've posted my own pictures here, which compare the original with the new version. The old version was nicely padded and ergonomically large. The new version has much less padding and it feels sharp and blocky. It wears on you after too few reps. With the original, I could go as long as my finger and forearm muscles would allow; with the new one, discomfort kicks in first. As other reviewers have noted, these aren't best for developing brute strength (weights are) but rather for therapy and dexterity, which require moderately high reps. If it can't do the reps without discomfort, it's just not worth using at all.

And in case you own the original and you're thinking you'll just put the big pad on the new skeleton, forget it. They're not interchangeable, which is also disappointing. On the original you could put the pad on either side, allowing you to use all your fingers on the unified bar or independently on the buttons. Can't do that with the new one. (See the pictures.)

Too often a company makes a good product and once it gains a market foothold, they cut costs and expect it will only increase profit margin. This is a perfect example. Well, I hope this review will encourage purchasing choices that make Gripmaster regret their choice to go cheap on their customers. Maybe they'll be compelled to resume making the great product it used to be, which led to all these positive reviews, almost all of which are NOT about the product you'll actually receive.

While I expect resurrection of the original Gripmaster to be a long shot, the fact remains: here's a smart little product I used to recommend to anyone - and now I think it's nearly useless. Disappointing.

I recently purchased a pair of the Gripmaster Hand & Finger Exercisers in order to help build forearm strength. As I was unsure which tension would be appropriate, I bought one each of the Light/Blue (5 lbs. tension) and Medium/Red (7 lbs. tension) grips. I've had them for a little more than a week now, and I just love, love, love them! Perhaps that's a little more enthusiasm than anyone should muster up for exercise accessories, but I really do enjoy the grips. I leave one out on my desk at all times, and get in a little work here and there when I stop to read a document or whatnot.

The Gripmaster Exercisers are different from conventional grips in that you can either work your entire hand at once, or each finger individually (great for guitar players, I've heard!). One side features four small levers, each with its own spring, that can be squeezed together or one at a time. The plastic on the flip side is molded together so that you can work your whole hand as one unit. The black rubber cushion is removable, and you can place it on either side of the grip. It's an awesome idea, and allows for maximum versatility!

Just for reference, I'm a female, in relatively good shape, but with painfully little forearm strength (my biceps are huge from years of Tae Bo, though!). The 7 lb. Medium/Red grip is do-able, but challenging. The 5 lb. Light/Blue grip, on the other hand, makes for a much easier workout; I oftentimes find myself squeezing it while doing other things, and I only feel it after a number of reps. If you're a female and not in great shape, you'll want to start out with the Light/Blue grips (or even the Extra Light/Yellow ones), and work your way up. Out-of-shape guys can probably get away with the Medium/Red ones to start. If you've got good hand/wrist/forearm strength, don't even both with the lighter tensions - skip ahead to the Medium/Red or Heavy/Black.

Although I've only owned my Gripmasters for a week or two, and can't personally vouch for their durability, they do seem sturdy and well-crafted. My fiancé's brother, an amateur boxer and guitar player, used his for years without a problem, so I have faith that I'll be squeezing these babies well into 2015!

No. I didn't buy this to be better at Guitar Hero. I originally bought this to try to get my fingers stronger for guitar playing. I eventually gave that up but while I was playing this really cut down on the time it took to get my fingers guitar ready. The ability to exercise individual fingers was great and helped get those weak fingers stronger. I have I have continued to occasionally use this to warm up before a good Guitar Hero game. I've had it for about 3 years now and it is still in PERFECT condition.

I got this to strengthen my guitar fretting hand, and it is working fairly well so far. I got a medium, and honestly, for the ladies and for the guys that don't already have strong fingers, I would start with the lighter one, or buy both. I weightlift and whatnot, and this was almost a little too heavy for what I needed it for. Also: this is a finger exerciser, not a hand strengthener. You should probably get a hand strengthener too, but this is only for the digits individually, and it works very well. There is also a website that you can go to to check out some different exercises you can do with it, a great reference tool, included in the instructions for this thing. Enjoy!

I'm a 23 yr old male and I broke my hand in high school. It never healed correctly, and I find exercising my weak hand relieves my occasional dull pain. I ordered the red Gripmaster to replace the "old school" grip strengthener I've used forever, which I felt was inferior since it doesn't have a spring for each finger.

I'm disappointed with the Gripmaster for 3 reasons.

First, I read medium tension was ideal for "the average man's hand." That's me. Well, I must actually be Chuck Norris. This red gripmaster is not challenging for either hand, especially my injury-free strong hand. It's comical that this is one step away from the maximum resistance.

Second, this thing is tiny, smaller than a deck of cards. The springs are 1/2 inches long. I have stubby fingers so I was worried I would have trouble wrapping my ring and pinky fingers around it. Amazingly, my hand swallows this thing to where it's awkward to use. Not only is the resistance too light for me, the range of motion is far too short, resulting in an underwhelming workout for the fingers and forearm.

Third, the finger pads are too small and close together. Once again, I don't have big hands. Yet if I only exercise one finger, it catches on the adjacent finger hands while I squeeze. If I had fatter fingers, I'm positive I'd pinch myself. They either need to separate the finger pads so we can truly work each finger, or, make the whole contraption bigger.

The only reason I don't give this one star is because I like the individual springs. That will help me strengthen my pinky, but the further I get into this review, the more I dislike this thing. I'll use it b/c I paid for it, but "average men," either get the heavy-duty one or better yet, buy a different product.

I gotta admit like a lot of people it's hard to decide what you need in terms of strength.

I'm 35 and pretty good health, strength and have worked out in the past. I was looking for something to improve my grip, as in the past after a certain point you grip fails where your other muscles.

I got myself a medium strength, and to be honest I thought it was too weak. However after about 20 reps. you soon start to feel it.

The other I bought an extra light for my father in law, he's 73 years old and wants again to improve strength. He also is suffering a little from arthritis in one hand. This helps a lot as he can work individual fingers.

Myself I've found that my little finger is weak, and due to the design I can totally work that weakness.

What I think is great now, I can work my hands one by one; then switch to a lighter strength so I can work to failure. A technique you can use in weight training to build gains once you plateaued.

I will for certain in the future by a heavier weight, but only once I'm having to work too long....and also that weak little finger gets better.

p.s. this is a failure of the all in one grips, that you can't target one finger.

A great product all round!

Much better than the usual "V" shape hand exerciser. Medium tension seemed too easy at first, but a few single-finger reps changed my mind on that.